St. John's ground-breaking Oct. 12

With a government-supported HUD loan in hand, things are beginning to fall into place as the St. John’s Lutheran Hospital Board of Trustees now has scheduled a ground-breaking for Oct. 12.

The board met Tuesday evening, and scheduled the ceremonial event for noon Friday, Oct. 12.

During an interview Tuesday with St. John’s Hospital Marketing Director KC Hoyer and Tony Rebo, St. John’s Facility Manager, the two reiterated an appreciation to contractors and supply companies that  have agreed to honor price commitments of up to two years ago.

“We tried to go with local (sub)-contractors whenever they were qualified to do the work,” Rebo said. “And, I can say just about all of them are honoring the price quotes.”

Some site preparation already has begun, and Rebo said this fall there will be footings poured with the construction of a shell structure to allow inside work throughout the winter months.

 Through the federal agency of Housing and Urban Development, SJLH secured a $32 million loan on the project estimated to cost $35 million.

The contractor is Swank Construction, Co., of Kalispell, which has promised to hire local subcontractors.

“Our contract with Swank stipulates that (at least) 20 percent of the subcontractors will be local, providing they are qualified to do the work,” Rebo said. “We are committed to this as is Swank.”

Rebo said skilled laborers will be used throughout the project, and he urged local craftsman to contact Jim Noffsinger, the Swank on-site project manager, as it won’t be long before those jobs are needed. 

“He’s there. Right on the site,” Rebo said of Noffsinger.

St. John’s Hospital currently includes 56,000 square feet, with the new facility adding another 77,000. The existing facility still will be an integral part of the SJLH operations. 

After completion of the new building, which will be in late May or June 2014, the plans are for the Business Office, Home Health and Hospice and its Rehabilitation Center to keep offices in the current building, with the Rehab Center growing to about twice the size it is now.

Rebo stressed the fact that just because the construction will be complete in late May or June 2014, it will not mean the new hospital will be ready to occupy at that time.

“It may take a couple of months to get all the interior just the way we want it,” Rebo said.

While SJLH is seeking $35 million in funding, only about $22 million of that amount is for bricks and mortar, meaning there would be substantial upgrades to critical areas of the hospital.

The new hospital will be constructed east of the existing building with the St. John’s Conference Center slated for demolition in the coming weeks.